Learn how to fix SSL is not enabled for this domain error in DirectAdmin. Our DirectAdmin Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

SSL is not enabled for this domain DirectAdmin | Fixed

Disabling SSL in DirectAdmin can lead to an inconvenient situation where users lose access to the SSL Certificates section for a domain. If we have accidentally disabled SSL or run into the “SSL is not enabled for this domain” message, don’t worry—this blog will guide you through the process of re-enabling SSL, either as an end user or an administrator.

An Overview:

1. What Happens When SSL Is Disabled?
2. How SSL Impacts Website Security and SEO
3. How to Re-enable SSL as an End User
4. Re-enabling SSL with Root Access
5. Enabling SSL for a Specific Domain
6. Enabling SSL for the Entire Account
7. Common Pitfalls When Disabling SSL

What Happens When SSL Is Disabled?

Did you know that clicking the Disable SSL under Account Manager > SSL Certificates instantly updates the configuration file located at:

/usr/local/directadmin/data/users/USER/domains/DOMAIN.TLD.conf

Once SSL is disabled, DirectAdmin updates the domain configuration to reflect this, and the user is immediately locked out of the SSL Certificates section. An error message like “Could not execute your request” will appear, along with a notification about the SSL functionality being disabled.

At this point, users cannot re-enable SSL directly from the SSL Certificates page for that domain, making the process slightly more complex.

How SSL Impacts Website Security and SEO

1. SSL certificates use encryption to protect sensitive information, ensuring that data such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal details are securely transmitted between the user and the server.

   This prevents unauthorized parties from accessing or tampering with the data, maintaining the privacy and trust of users.
2. SSL certificates also verify the identity of the website owner, providing users with confidence that they are interacting with a legitimate website. This is especially important for e-commerce platforms and websites that handle personal data.
3. SSL helps protect websites from phishing attacks by ensuring that users are interacting with a legitimate website.
4. Search engines, particularly Google, prioritize websites that use HTTPS over those that do not.
5. Websites with SSL certificates are seen as more trustworthy by users.
6. Browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari display prominent warnings when users attempt to access sites without SSL certificates. These warnings can scare users away, reducing traffic and engagement.
7. Since users are more likely to trust websites that have SSL certificates, they are also more likely to complete purchases, fill out forms, or engage with the site’s content.

How to Re-enable SSL as an End User

While DirectAdmin removed the option to re-enable SSL from the SSL Certificates section as of August 2021, end users still have a workaround to enable SSL again by navigating to the Domain Setup section.

Here are the steps:

1. From the DirectAdmin control panel, head over to the Domain Setup section.
2. Click on the domain where SSL needs to be enabled.
3. Then, check the box that says **Secure SSL** and save the changes.

This will re-enable SSL for the domain, and we will regain access to the SSL Certificates page. However, this method works only if SSL is disabled for a specific domain and not for the entire account.

Re-enabling SSL with Root Access

For administrators with root access, there’s a manual way to re-enable SSL directly by editing configuration files. This is useful when the SSL setting is disabled for the entire account or if the user cannot enable SSL through the DirectAdmin interface.

Enabling SSL for a Specific Domain

As an admin, follow these steps to re-enable SSL for a particular domain:

1. First, go to the domain configuration file using the following path:

   /usr/local/directadmin/data/users/USERNAME/domains/DOMAIN.TLD.conf
2. Then, open the file in a text editor and look for the line that says `ssl=OFF`. Change this to ‘ssl=ON’.
3. After making the changes, save the file and exit the text editor. This will allow the user to access the SSL Certificates section for that domain once again.

Enabling SSL for the Entire Account

If SSL has been disabled for the entire user account, we will need to edit the main account configuration file. Here are the steps:

1. First, go to the file located at:

   /usr/local/directadmin/data/users/USERNAME/user.conf
2. Then, find the line that says `ssl=OFF` and change it to ‘ssl=ON’.
3. Next, save the changes and exit the text editor.

After updating this setting, SSL will be re-enabled for the entire user account, allowing them to access SSL management for all domains associated with that account.

Common Pitfalls When Disabling SSL

Disabling SSL may seem like a quick and temporary solution when facing issues such as certificate errors, misconfigurations, or compatibility problems, but it can lead to serious and often unintended consequences.

1. The most immediate risk of disabling SSL is the loss of encryption. Without SSL, any data transmitted between the server and client is in plain text, making it vulnerable to interception by attackers.
2. Without SSL, websites become more susceptible to man-in-the-middle attacks. The attackers can intercept, alter, or steal the data being transmitted between the user and the server in these attacks.
3. Disabling SSL may prevent users from accessing secure features or functions that rely on SSL, such as encrypted logins, secure file transfers, or payment processing systems.
4. Once SSL is disabled, websites that were previously served over HTTPS may trigger mixed content warnings in modern browsers. These warnings can confuse users and deter them from proceeding, further affecting traffic and trust.
5. Many third-party services, such as payment gateways, analytics tools, or API integrations, require an SSL-enabled website for security reasons. Disabling SSL can break these integrations.
6. Disabling SSL may also cause unintended downtime, especially if the website relies on HTTPS for critical services.

[Need assistance with a different issue? Our team is available 24/7.]

Conclusion

While disabling SSL in DirectAdmin can cause a temporary roadblock, there are straightforward ways to re-enable it, whether as an end user or with administrative privileges. For users, the Domain Setup section provides a simple method to restore SSL for specific domains, while admins can manually edit configuration files to reinstate SSL for domains or entire accounts.

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to fix SS is not enabled for this domain error in DirectAdmin.